1. LEVELS OF STUDY BIOSPHERE BIOME ECOSYTEM COMMUNITY POPULATION SPECIES ORGANISM ORGAN SYSTEM ORGAN TISSUE CELL MOLECULE ATOM (ELEMENTS)

2. ECOLOGY
The study of the interactions of organisms with their physical environment.

3. Review What characteristics do all living things have in common?
What are the major elements found in all living things?
What is meant by the “physical environment”?
What is meant by the “interactions”?

4. Ecology is studied on many levels
Ecology is studied on many levels. BIOSPHERE BIOME ECOSYTEM COMMUNITY POPULATION SPECIES

5. Ecology is about “big picture” biology…
The levels of life taken from the “top” down are….
Biosphere – the area around the
planet that can support life.

6. 2. Biome – group of ecosystems with the same climate and communities.
3. Ecosystem – all the organisms in a place and their physical environment.
4. Community – all the living populations interacting in a given area.
5. Population – a group of interbreeding organisms of the same species.
6. Species – a group of organisms that can breed and produce fertile offspring.

7. I. ECOSYSTEM Abiotic (nonliving) climate soil type oxygen light water
A group of interacting living (biotic) organisms and the nonliving (abiotic) environment they inhabit.
Examples of abiotic/biotic factors
Abiotic (nonliving)
climate
soil type
oxygen
light
water pH
salt
Biotic (living)
eubacteria
archaebacteria
plants
animals
fungi
protists

8. B. 3 types of ecological interactions
abiotic-abiotic – interaction between two nonliving aspects of environment
Ex) flooding causes a mudslide
biotic-biotic – interaction between two living aspects of an environment
Ex) competition – a climbing vine competes for sunlight with a tree
abiotic-biotic – between living and nonliving
Ex) a badger digs a large burrow in a hill

9. Types of biotic-biotic interactions
Competition
a) between different species
b) between members of the same species
Predator/Prey
Symbiosis – association between two species over a long period of time

10. C. Ecosystems process matter and energy.
Matter is recycled.
b. Energy is transferred.

11. Matter is recycled Ecosystem interaction is evident in The water cycle
NH2
Matter is recycled
CO2 N2
CO2
H2O
H2O
Ecosystem interaction is evident in
The water cycle
The nitrogen cycle
The carbon cycle
The phosphorus cycle
NO3
H2O
H2O
C6H12O6
C6H12O6 N2
H2O
H2O
H2O
NH2
NH2
NH2
CO2
C6H12O6
H2O
H2O
NO3

12. Energy is transferred and “lost” as heat.
Life energy first comes from the sun.
All organisms use energy.
Wait! Question! The First Law of Thermodynamics says “energy is neither created or destroyed” so.. how can energy be “lost”?
During energy transfers, such as a rabbit getting food energy from earing grass, heat energy is released. Since living things cannot use heat energy to sustain themselves so it is “lost” to living systems.

13. Energy Roles in Ecosystems
PRODUCERS
make their own food from sunlight
called autotrophs “self – feeding”
plants, algae or phytoplankton (=“plant-like” protists), some bacteria
CONSUMERS
eat other organisms
called heterotrophs “other-feeding”
animals, fungi, protozoans or zooplankton (= “animal-like” protists), some bacteria

14. CONSUMERS A. TYPES 1) Herbivore (eat plants)
2) Carnivore (eat animals)
3) Omnivore (eat both)
Consumers of “dead” things (may be herbivores, carnivores, or omnivores):
Scavengers
Decomposers (return nutrients to soil)
Detritivores (aquatic decomposers)
* play a role in recycling matter

15. producers 1st consumers Food Chain trophic levels 2nd level consumers
4th level consumers
3rd level consumers
2nd level consumers
1st consumers
producers

16. What are protists, what is plankton?
Protists are (mostly) microscopic organisms that have characteristics that do not neatly place them in other kingdoms. (Not quite plants, animals or fungi….)
Zooplankton (also known as Protozoans) are heterotrophic protists that live in water environments.
Phytoplankton (also known as Algae) are autotrophic protists that live in water environments.

17. Energy Pyramid

18. Food Web -a diagram that shows all the energy transfers in a community.

19. Pyramids of Numbers, Biomass and Energy
Pyramid of numbers
Compares the number of organisms at each trophic level.
Pyramid of biomass
Compares the mass of biological material at each trophic level.
Pyramid of energy
Compares the amount of energy passing through each trophic level.

20. What 3 names could we give the role these wild turkeys have in their ecosystem?

21. Pictures for Pond Life Food Web
Algae
Water strider
eats algae